sorry for the delayed reply, took off the covers, the gaps between the cams and the valve stems said it all. took off the heads to see if i could just replace the valves, #2 and #4 went though the piston tops. so time for a new used motor, this time i will change the tensioners and guides before installing it and hope for the best.
wish me luck.

 

Hello Hanso and greetings from down under. Such rotten news, so I need to be careful how to say this at a time when I know you'll be hurting . . . It really isn't a matter of luck . . . sadly this world is full of people who will shell out for an exotic car image, while doing and paying for the barest minimum maintenance and service (or none at all) and then tell the most outrageous lies to an unsuspecting purchaser. They are not trying to share the Jaguar love with you . . . they are hoping to unload their car on you!

Rule #1 learned here is . . . NEVER trust a previous owner!!! Unless you have cast iron, gilt edged, documented proof from an accredited service centre that specific parts, service, TSB, or upgrade HAS been done . . . then all the reassurances from vendor or previous owner are worth diddley-squat. (a term I picked up from mate in Arizona and have loved ever since).

So. Rule 2 becomes automatic . . . check everything personally, or use someone independent whom you value and trust. Did you notice, really notice, the critical importance of the issues that [Jon89] raised in his immediate reply to your initial post. Service, repair, maintenance and provenance documentation isn't just "nice to have" . . . it's vital. Without it, you MUST treat any exotic high performance car as a time bomb that is already ticking, until you have invested both time and money, developing it into a car that you can trust.

Finally, Rule #3 is revealed . . . "wishing for good luck" is, in these cars, a recipe for disaster. For an XK8.XKR with no service history, purchase price buys you nothing more than entry onto the dance floor . . . it is what you then do . . . and spend . . . that determines whether you end up with a fine car.

So, where to from here. Others can best advise what your local market will and will not be able to offer. Don't overlook the possibility of buying pistons, valves etc and, perhaps with help and oversight of a trained pro, rebuild your existing engine . . . but please, make sure you budget it all out before you start. Seek advice here as to whether the low cost SBC alternative may be practical . . . or will impact adversely on the remaining value of your car. Time to pause . . . take stock . . . and get a plan.

Best wishes,

Ken

 

Hello Hanso . . . maybe good news . . . suggest you act fast.

Just noted a nearby thread from another of your countrymen [Jagstuart] in a nearby thread in the S-Type/STR Forum entitled "Parting a ? year S-Type" . . . who has posted seeking interest for a 4.2L car. Superior engine to the 4.0L and should be a natural fit. Check a/t though as 4.2L came with 6spd ZF 6HP26 rather than the 5 in your car . . . and the a/t in this donor car has died. Suggest you fellas get together and negotiate.

Best wishes,

Ken

 

Thanks for the reply. I was figuring that a bent valve might have shown up in a compression test...not a gap between the cam and valve stem! Also, was rather shocked to learn it (apparently) happened while you were observing the engine. (You weren't winding it out on the NJ Turnpike were you?!! Kidding!?.)...Soon, I'm going to re-start my engine after replacing the tensioners/chains and a few other parts so am a bit apprehensive about my work and some of the work I've had to repair. That's why I asked my question. But it's got to be started !

Sorry about your problem. I hope you get it sorted out. I don't imagine there is any shortage of used engines for our cars, though again, you have to worry about condition. Perhaps you could strip an engine from an old (cheap) XJ8 if you can't find a suitable one from a scrapyard.

To sum up, it seems we all suffer from a miserable addiction to old, beautiful cars with worn mechanicals of questionable function and durability. It's a curse.

 

Thanks for the advice, i know i should have known better, i'm in the car business as a buyer. my fault for not looking into the known issues before driving it around. Oh well, live and learn. try not to make same mistake twice, the new motor is going in this weekend, and i have the new tensioners and guides and chains, will also confirm the oil pump is 100%, before i put it in,
was thinking of the newer motor, but with the ZF it won't be a direct fit and the friend that is helping me (22 years at Jaguar and Land Rover) told me to stay with the program . Will take his advice as he's been right so far.
so, time to put in the new and hope that Bob's my uncle, as i was told by an old Aussie drinking buddy, cheers

 

glad that it happened in the driveway, found a low milage motor for 1400. just have to switch the parts from the old to the newer and do the preventive and i think the Jag gods are on my side. If not, vette motor time
hey, compared to my last Italian sport machina these Jags are a bargain to fix,lol

 

If you remove the valve cover and find the old style tensioner or not, I would still pull the oil pan if it is an early motor (plastic tensioner era), as the plastic bits fall off the tensioners they get sucked into the oil pickup where they seem to stay until manually removed. You have to stick your little finger in the pickup tube and feel around to be sure it is clear of bits that will suck to the screen reducing oil flow. When changing my oil pan that is where I found most of the top guides from my 97 motor. It will also tell you what the main guides condition is as if you have way too many pieces to be a couple of something like 1/2 wide by 1 1/2 long pieces that are the part the top chains rub against. To many pieces of plastic is a bad sign and full chain swap is in order.

 

Hanso . . . with that positive attitude, your willingness to take a tough punch and yet bounce back with a knowledgeable "go to" man to help guide you . . . I see a far brighter and more enjoyable future with this Jaguar. You are right to take his advice on the engine . . . it turns out that there are a few more issues that would have arisen with the 4.2L. Very good advice from Tex on "hunting plastic" in your oil pump system.

The dry sense of humour I sense lurking in you would have made us good drinkin' buddies . . . of course, at my age, I tend to dribble a fair bit these days . . . but I aint planted yet! So many Jaguars to save; so little money! Hahaha.

Cheers,

Ken

 

Thanks for the heads up, was going to drop the pan to check the main bearings and replace the seals. its a used motor so god only knows what its been through, came with a 12 month gurantee so i feel a little better about it
so this is a time to get greasy weekend, no rest for the wicked

 

a forum member from NSW australia told me about this thread. i'm way down in southern arizona but have a line on a 4.0 out of a early 2000 s type on which the tranny stopped working. car has sat. i'm pretty sure the shipping would be prohibitive but thought i'd run it by you. pulling and crating the engine would be a first for me. sent alot of small and not so small parts via usps but an engine is a different beast. i'd do this for the labor to remove and ship it. it would also depend on the condition of the engine. let me know if you think this would work for you. pm me. i see from rest of thread that you're good to go. happy motoring!

 

hey folks, not sure if anyone cares, but , on the road again, motor in, running fine, all lights are off, woooooo hoooooo. only issue is that the drivers window creeps down a little every time i close the door. you know how the window drops a little to close the door then moves up again. now it just drops a little each time i close the door. if thats the worst after all the motor issues, i'm fine with it. just didn't know if it was some kind of new ghost. lol
by the way, i kept the old motor, so if anyone needs the injectors, intake, exhaust manifolds or a good block or passanger side head, let me know

 

window just probably needs to be reset, low battery can cause this issue and I am sure you also had it disconnected which always means a reset

next time in the car window down and keep holding for a few seconds till you hear a click and then all the way up and same thing hold for click

that should fix window, do the passenger from the passenger switch as it syncs something else with top down

good news glad to see you had time to throw the motor in there so fast

 

first of all, i want to thank everyone on this forum. you guys/gals are the best and the help has been seriously apprecitated.
it was easier to put in another motor with upgrades than to send out the heads for new valves, and it was about the same money.
as the old joke goes "if at first you don't succeed, don't take up skydiving"